Archives for September 2011

‘The cross-Atlantic journey starts Saturday, a day after the Sabres close their NHL preseason at Washington. After a brief stop home, the Sabres will fly to Mannheim, Germany, where they will play an exhibition game against the city’s pro team Adler on Tuesday. Then it’s off to Helsinki, Finland, where Buffalo will open the season against Anaheim on Oct. 7, followed by a game against Los Angeles in Berlin a day later.’

‘“Good linemates, we thought the game the same way, so we had good chemistry right away,” said Leino, who had 19 goals and 53 points in 81 games last year, essentially his first full NHL season. “I don’t know. I guess I was just thinking, ‘I’ll play my own game. Whatever happens, I will play my own game.’”’

‘The Buffalo Sabres are trying to work out a deal to let forward Ales Kotalik play in Europe this season. Kotalik cleared NHL waivers Monday but he decided not to report to the Rochester Americans. Kotalik is a nine year NHL veteran who the Sabres re-acquired in a trade with Calgary back in June. The Sabres waived him last weekend to get under the NHL salary cap.’

‘”I felt I was doing the same things I have always been doing,” Sekera said this week in First Niagara Center. “I was moving my feet, passing the puck and a little bit more aware of my defensive zone play and things worked out great. Sometimes you’re trying and nothing is going to work out, sometimes you’re not even pushing and it happens for you.”‘

‘”It happened. It’s over with. You practice hard and I’ll be the first one to back him up on the ice whenever he needs it,” said a smiling Kaleta. “It is practice and stuff but it happened. It was a good hit. He felt bad about it. All in all, he smoked me.”‘

‘“I think the biggest thing is getting the jet lag out,” explained Jordan Leopold, who’s already gone through the European experience when he traveled to Helsinki as a member of the Florida Panthers in 2009. “We’re going to have that long flight right off the bat, and to get adapted to the time that we’re on over there is number one. Hydrating, nutrition getting our practice time in and getting a little time to ourselves is important.’

‘Without going into specifics, general manager Darcy Regier would only say, “We’re working on it,” Thursday. Playing in Europe became an option after Kotalik did not report to the Sabres’ American Hockey League farm club in Rochester upon clearing waivers Monday.’